SWoW - What's it really like?"

[Anonymous]

Just to further explain this: The open houses are completely chaotic, overcrowded, and nonsubstantive.

You are only allowed into the building as far as the gym. There is another reception for admitted students, if I remember correctly, but it also is in the evening and you still never get to see anything of the school except empty classrooms. There were virtually no teachers at any of the events, so it's incredibly hard to get a sense of the faculty.

[Anonymous]

Thanks PP.

Now if only someone can explain the lottery/test/ranking process I'll be good to go

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You're not allowed to tour the building as a prospective parent or student. The open houses are completely chaotic, overcrowded, and nonsubstantive. The principal's attitude is that the students are lucky to be taken -- there is no effort at all to explain the strengths of the program and why the student should choose it. You can't do a shadow day until you're accepted, so you have to rank without having really seen anything of the school. When our child took the admission tests, the information flow was absolutely lousy, and got even worse after the tests were cancelled at the last possible moment because of weather and then not rescheduled until very late, making the application process even harder. Once the students are accepted, there are only a limited number of shadow days available, so not all the kids can shadow.

How's that for a start in explaining what's strange about the application process? We and many of our friends found it to be a huge turn-off.

Even better yet it looks like their open house is at the Francis Stevens school and not SWW main. How dumb is that. it makes me think that the administration is not too bright and not very responsive to parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is strange to you about the application process?

I can't figure out how the wait list is determined. For example last year 100+ kids were put on the wait list. Are they ranked 1-240 by the school and the first 140 are offered slots? Or does your lottery number play a role if there are more qualified applicants than slots (And yes I realize that at least another couple hundred didn't make it to the interview stage and aren't reflected on the wait list).

Yes, it's a straight ranking. There is no lottery (ie luck) involved. People on the wait list move up as initial admissions offers are rejected. Lots of kids who get initial offers don't go so there is a fair amount of wait list movement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You're not allowed to tour the building as a prospective parent or student. The open houses are completely chaotic, overcrowded, and nonsubstantive. The principal's attitude is that the students are lucky to be taken -- there is no effort at all to explain the strengths of the program and why the student should choose it. You can't do a shadow day until you're accepted, so you have to rank without having really seen anything of the school. When our child took the admission tests, the information flow was absolutely lousy, and got even worse after the tests were cancelled at the last possible moment because of weather and then not rescheduled until very late, making the application process even harder. Once the students are accepted, there are only a limited number of shadow days available, so not all the kids can shadow.

How's that for a start in explaining what's strange about the application process? We and many of our friends found it to be a huge turn-off.

Even better yet it looks like their open house is at the Francis Stevens school and not SWW main. How dumb is that. it makes me think that the administration is not too bright and not very responsive to parents.

That certainly gives an accurate reflection of where the principal is located, both physically and emotionally.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is strange to you about the application process?

I can't figure out how the wait list is determined. For example last year 100+ kids were put on the wait list. Are they ranked 1-240 by the school and the first 140 are offered slots? Or does your lottery number play a role if there are more qualified applicants than slots (And yes I realize that at least another couple hundred didn't make it to the interview stage and aren't reflected on the wait list).

Yes, it's a straight ranking. There is no lottery (ie luck) involved. People on the wait list move up as initial admissions offers are rejected. Lots of kids who get initial offers don't go so there is a fair amount of wait list movement.

Well that makes the demographics even more interesting. The pie chart is perfectly balanced.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is strange to you about the application process?

I can't figure out how the wait list is determined. For example last year 100+ kids were put on the wait list. Are they ranked 1-240 by the school and the first 140 are offered slots? Or does your lottery number play a role if there are more qualified applicants than slots (And yes I realize that at least another couple hundred didn't make it to the interview stage and aren't reflected on the wait list).

Yes, it's a straight ranking. There is no lottery (ie luck) involved. People on the wait list move up as initial admissions offers are rejected. Lots of kids who get initial offers don't go so there is a fair amount of wait list movement.

Well that makes the demographics even more interesting. The pie chart is perfectly balanced.

Except for gender - according to a PP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is strange to you about the application process?

I can't figure out how the wait list is determined. For example last year 100+ kids were put on the wait list. Are they ranked 1-240 by the school and the first 140 are offered slots? Or does your lottery number play a role if there are more qualified applicants than slots (And yes I realize that at least another couple hundred didn't make it to the interview stage and aren't reflected on the wait list).

Yes, it's a straight ranking. There is no lottery (ie luck) involved. People on the wait list move up as initial admissions offers are rejected. Lots of kids who get initial offers don't go so there is a fair amount of wait list movement.

Thanks! Do they share how much the admissions test vs the interviews are weighted? My DC would be fine on the test but I am very skeptical of how well he would do in an interview, particularly with student (vs adult) interviewers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is strange to you about the application process?

I can't figure out how the wait list is determined. For example last year 100+ kids were put on the wait list. Are they ranked 1-240 by the school and the first 140 are offered slots? Or does your lottery number play a role if there are more qualified applicants than slots (And yes I realize that at least another couple hundred didn't make it to the interview stage and aren't reflected on the wait list).

Yes, it's a straight ranking. There is no lottery (ie luck) involved. People on the wait list move up as initial admissions offers are rejected. Lots of kids who get initial offers don't go so there is a fair amount of wait list movement.

Well that makes the demographics even more interesting. The pie chart is perfectly balanced.

Maybe, maybe not. You'd have to know the demographics of who is admitted and what the yield rates look like. A lot of admitted students didn't accept last year, and they ended up needing a second round of admissions tests and interviews to fill the class. Among other things, the AWOL principal -- and his ridiculous idea to have all 11th graders relocated to the Francis-Stevens facility -- scared off potential parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is strange to you about the application process?

I can't figure out how the wait list is determined. For example last year 100+ kids were put on the wait list. Are they ranked 1-240 by the school and the first 140 are offered slots? Or does your lottery number play a role if there are more qualified applicants than slots (And yes I realize that at least another couple hundred didn't make it to the interview stage and aren't reflected on the wait list).

Yes, it's a straight ranking. There is no lottery (ie luck) involved. People on the wait list move up as initial admissions offers are rejected. Lots of kids who get initial offers don't go so there is a fair amount of wait list movement.

Well that makes the demographics even more interesting. The pie chart is perfectly balanced.

Maybe, maybe not. You'd have to know the demographics of who is admitted and what the yield rates look like. A lot of admitted students didn't accept last year, and they ended up needing a second round of admissions tests and interviews to fill the class. Among other things, the AWOL principal -- and his ridiculous idea to have all 11th graders relocated to the Francis-Stevens facility -- scared off potential parents.

In the principal's defense, he is playing the hand he was dealt by DCPS.

It was 2 years ago that they had a second round of admission testing, not last year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:(One other tip is that the male/female ratio is pretty skewed at SWW -- towards girls. Depending on your son, that may be an advantage.)

Yes, OP. It's nickname among the kids is School Without Balls

[Anonymous]

* its

grr autocorrect

[Anonymous]

My child was accepted a few years ago but turned it down for Wilson. She wanted a full big HS experience. Wilson has been a great choice for her.
Maybe my next kid will choose SWW

What I liked about SWW:
* Smaller
* Kids all have demonstrated academic success.
* Great location
* Good friend has a recent SWW graduate and I have followed her excellent experience.

What I didn't like:
* Kids and parents do actually brag about the number of hours of homework. Odd but I heard it with my own ears many times.
* Admission interview was conducted by students only. My husband was interviewed by children to determine if our family was "a good fit".
* Call me crazy but I was not thrilled with the push to have kids take GW courses. My children will go to college. I prefer them to be in a HS environment while they are in HS-if kids need more from their HS classes, the HS teachers should provide it.
* No lockers by design. Nowhere to put their stuff. I'm being picky here but really? They have to drag around their coats, sports stuff, books etc. all day long. Odd.
* The principal. I was at the information session the day the new came out that he would also be in charge of Francis Stevens and when asked about it, he claimed that he was surprised by the news too. How can that be? Again, very odd.

Pros and cons for anything. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

How is the college counseling support/process at SWW? Can someone describe that aspect of the program?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How is the college counseling support/process at SWW? Can someone describe that aspect of the program?

My child graduated from Walls. We found the counseling support to be very good. Same counselor for four years - really knew our child when college application time came around. Always had good info to share. There were parent meetings with the counselor each year - freshman should start thinking about this, sophomores should do this, etc... That was very helpful. Counselor helped move things along and made sure child was on track. Was super encouraging but also honest.

As an aside, I've skimmed through this thread - I will add that I do not recall in the four years we were at Walls hearing any of my child's friends bragging about the amount of homework they do. If someone heard kids doing it, I'd wonder about the context. Maybe it's comparing the amount of homework at Walls relative to another high school? Teenagers can be weird. Agree that the teachers are a mixed bag - some are stellar and many are good. My child had a couple that were awful - one of which was a humanities teacher that was shockingly horrendous (but tenured).

Good Luck, OP.